


Admission

by WannaBeBold



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Post Episode: 18x07, post ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29522727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WannaBeBold/pseuds/WannaBeBold
Summary: "But I knew you weren’t ready and that was okay, because I’ll wait as long as I need to.” Looking into her eyes, Nick knew it was now or never.“What if I told you you didn’t have to wait any longer?”
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 4
Kudos: 82





	Admission

Hearing Jimmy read his letter to Breena, Nick pulled Ellie closer to him, tightening his hold on her hand that was wrapped around his arm. Since their admission in the jail cells almost 11 months ago they had become closer, spending practically all of their time together, a lot of nights they spent wrapped around each other, but they still hadn't made those final steps of officially being together. As he listened to Jimmy list all of the reasons he loved his late wife though, saw the emotions flick across Gibbs' face as he understood what the man was going through, Nick knew he had to tell her. He couldn't let her go another day without knowing how much he loved her, especially when any day could be their last. 

As Jimmy finished his speech there wasn't a dry eye to be seen in the bullpen and they all gathered around him, taking their turns giving their grieving friend a hug. McGee ran out quickly afterwards, everyone knowing he needed to see Delilah after that. After everyone else had left Nick laid his hand back over Ellie's where it was still holding onto his arm and clasped their fingers together. 

"You uh, ready for that rain check?" 

"That sounds really good." Nodding he turned them around, wrapping an arm around her waist as he led them down the elevator and to his Jeep. Not wanting to lose contact they held hands the entire drive until they pulled up to an unfamiliar address. "Nick?" 

"Come inside?" He turned to look at her, a vulnerable expression on his face and she realized this was a turning point in the whatever-ship they had going on. 

"Absolutely." As soon as she was out of the Jeep his arm came back around her waist and he led them up the stairs and to the door at the end of the hall. Glancing at Ellie he turned the key in the knob and pushed the door open, holding out a hand for her to go in first. Ellie glanced back at him, trying to make sure he knew the significance of this moment. 

"Welcome to my home Ellie." Squeezing his hand she took a deep breath and turned towards the door. Stepping into his apartment, Ellie smiled as she looked around. It was more modern than his last place but everything else screamed Nick. Walking into the kitchen she ran a hand along the island as her eyes scanned the room. "Well?"

"Well what?" 

"What do you think?" Nick shifted on his feet, nervous about her thoughts. 

"It suits you." Smiling she paused, leaning against the counter facing him. "I love it." Nick smiled, coming around the island and standing next to her. "Thank you for letting me in." He heard her double meaning and turned to face her, laying his hand over hers that was resting on his counter. 

"I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner." 

"Hey Nick no. You don't have anything to apologize for." 

"But you've been ready for so long and-" 

"Hey." Leaning away from the counter she stepped closer to him, laying a hand on his chest. "I said you have nothing to apologize for. Yeah, maybe I've been ready since the incident with Merriweather," his eyes widened at her admission. He thought she had been ready for a while, he just hadn't realized it had been almost 10 months. "But I knew you weren’t ready and that was okay, because I’ll wait as long as I need to.” Looking into her eyes, Nick knew it was now or never. 

“What if I told you you didn’t have to wait any longer?” Ellie’s eyes widened. Her mouth dropping open at the implication of his words. 

“I- you- what?” Nick laughed at her being unable to process her words and he grabbed her hand, leading her over to the couch. 

“Ellie. When I was in high school I was in love with this girl named Sofia. We had been best friends since we were kids and then one day I looked across the cafeteria and just knew she was the girl I was going to marry. So I asked her. And that’s when she told me she had cancer.” 

“Nick-” She rubbed her thumb over his hand, trying to comfort him as he opened up to her. 

“We had planned to get married right after graduation but uh, a month before we were set to walk across the stage she was gone.” Ellie felt a tear fall and quickly wiped it away, now understanding why he never wanted to talk about his almost marriage before. “After that I told myself I would never fall in love again. I didn’t want to feel that hurt of losing someone else I loved.” 

"Nick I'm so-" she didn't get to finish her statement as he started talking again. 

"But uh, life had other plans." He chuckled softly and she tilted her head, wondering where this was going. "I never thought I would fall in love again, let alone with my best friend." He squeezed her hand again and looked into her eyes and Ellie couldn't mask the shocked yet hopeful expression in her face as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Breathing deeply, Ellie knew she had her own admission, something she had told to only a select few people. 

"I told you about my marriage and divorce from Jake but um, I never told you about Qasim." Nick's eyes widened that she was voluntarily talking about him.

"Ellie you don't have to-" 

"Yes I do. Nick, Qasim and I were almost engaged." She could see his eyes widen, hear his intake of breath. 

"I- I didn't know." 

"Hey it's okay. I only ever told my mom and Gibbs. Jack doesn't even know." Taking a deep breath she continued. "It was a little over a year after my divorce and uh, I cared about Qasim, I really did but we had only been dating for a few months and well, when he proposed at the bowling alley I panicked. I told him I couldn't give him an answer then." A tear fell and she felt Nick's thumb brush it away. "He told me that night to stop thinking so much with my head, to open up my heart and uh, a couple weeks later I made my decision. I was going to say yes. I even wrote it out in a card and was going to give it to him but then..."

"Chen happened." It was a statement, not a question and his heart clenched, both in pain for her and for what his life would have been like had she gotten to accept his proposal. 

"Yeah. After that I thought that I was cursed, ya know. I mean, my husband cheats on me and then my almost fiance gets killed? It was too much to hope for to love again and even when I did well, I was afraid. I was afraid that if I got into a serious relationship, that if I fell in love again, that he would leave. That you would leave." Nick had to wipe away a tear that had fallen at her admission. 

"Ellie. I can promise you right now that I will never, never, willingly leave you." Brushing her hair back, he let his hand linger on her cheek. 

"How can you be so sure?" She could only hold her breath as she waited for him to say the words they had been dancing around all night. 

"Because I love you Ellie. And I know I can't guarantee nothing will happen with our jobs but I can honestly say that I will never, ever, leave you of my own free wi-" He couldn't finish his sentence as Ellie leaned forward, kissing him. It was soft, sweet, and short, and he almost whimpered as she pulled away until she rested her forehead against his, a smile on her face. 

"And I'll never willingly leave you. Because I love you too Nick." Smiling brightly he closed the gap between them, kissing her deeply. As he cupped her cheeks in his hands she slid hers around his neck, moving closer to him on his couch. Before they could get too carried away Nick hesitantly broke the kiss but didn’t move away. 

“So. I believe I owe you a rain check dinner.” Smiling, Ellie ran a hand down his chest, toying with the tie he still wore. 

“Mmm I think you do.” 

“And uh, it would be a shame to waste such good outfits.” She couldn’t help that laugh that escaped her then. 

“Yeah, I guess it would. But what nice place are we going to be able to get into this last minute?”

“Hey, who said it was last minute?” Shocked, she leaned back, staring at him. 

“Nick?”

“I couldn’t accept your invitation for dinner because I had kinda already made reservations for us for tonight.” A smile broke across her face and she leaned in, kissing him gently.

“Well. aren’t you just full of surprises.” 

“Well, the night is still young.” He sent her a smirk and she was transported back to a jail cell almost a year ago, his words sending a tingle through her now just as they did back then. 

“Yes it is.” With a smile she pulled on his tie, effectively pulling him against her as she kissed him passionately. 

They may have been late to their reservations but neither could care. After a year of  _ almost  _ being together, they were finally both where they needed to be and nothing was going to stop them now. 


End file.
